Grateful Dead Live at The Spectrum on 1986-03-25
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- Publication date
- 1986-03-25 ( check for other copies)
- Topics
- Live concert
- Collection
- GratefulDead
- Band/Artist
- Grateful Dead
- Resource
- DeadLists Project
- Item Size
- 1.1G
Feel Like A Stranger, Tennessee Jed, CC Rider, Tons Of Steel, It Must Have Been The Roses, Desolation Row-> Don't Ease Me In Scarlet Begonias-> Touch Of Gray-> Looks Like Rain-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Drums-> Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues-> Black Peter-> Throwing Stones-> Turn On Your Love Light, E: Brokedown Palace
Notes
AUD FOB (30ft Center Stage)> Beyer Dynamic M88's> Sony TCD5M(CM)> Nak DR-10 (Playback)> Midiman Flying Cow 24bit/48kHz A/D> RME Digi96/8> Steinberg's Wavelab 3.0 (bit resolution & resampling to CDR redbook 16/44.1> CDWav beta1.57 (tracking only)> SHNv3 (MKW ACT); taped, transferred, seeded to abgd by Charlie Connor; flip in Don't Ease, no other flaws noted; d2 tracked for 80 min
- Addeddate
- 2004-06-14 10:15:18
- Has_mp3
- 1
- Identifier
- gd86-03-25.beyer.connor.3188.sbeok.shnf
- Location
- Philadelphia, PA
- Numeric_id
- 15082
- Type
- sound
- Venue
- The Spectrum
- Year
- 1986
comment
Reviews
(10)
Reviewer:
grateful phishmon
-
favoritefavorite -
May 16, 2020 (edited)
Subject: Lousy show in a lousy year for a great band
Subject: Lousy show in a lousy year for a great band
I decided to relisten to this to decide if it was as bad as I thought when I was there. That whole run was incredibly bad IMO, despite the excellent Dew the second night.
That said, a bad Grateful Dead show is still better than a good day at work.
They get off to a nice, jamming start with Stranger, with Bob apparently taking the lead at one point, Jerry finishing with a flourish, and Brent strong throughout. The band doesn't seem quite in sync, though, like they're not quite with it, so things start to go strangely.
Jerry tries for a different ending than normal, and doesn't quite nail it. Jerry builds up the intensity during Tennessee Jed, though it seems the rest of the band doesn't realize this is the peak and just plods along. C.C. Rider features a weird section where Jerry starts his solo before Bob's done with his, which actually sounds pretty cool, though I don't know if it was intentional or not. The lovely It Must Have Been the Roses comes off well. Bob's in a playful mood, introducing Tons of Steel with, "This song's in the key of F. I think." Really the first set is all right until they play Desolation Row, which means an entire three night run went by without a single first-set closing jam. No Let It Grow, no Bird Song, no Music. Deal and Cassidy went down the first night earlier in the set, so there's that.
On to the second set. Again, the playful mood and the spaciness set in at the beginning with an intro jam, mostly not captured on this recording, that turns Scarlet. All right, here we are! I'm up and dancing; Scarlet doesn't really build to a massive peak, but it's fun, and I'm anticipating a nice long jam and then a hot Fire. Not on this night. The outro from Scarlet barely gets going before Jerry forces it into A Touch of Gray. TOG is fast and ripping, with an actual solo, not the pro forma hit single they would play from 87 on. It's still no substitute for Fire.
They then follow up with Looks Like Rain -- horrible, horrible!! They follow one abomination (Touch out of Scarlet) with another (second set Looks Like Rain, which would later, sadly, become commonplace). It's an OK version, not a great one, though Jerry plays beautifully at times. LLR is a lovely ballad, but not something I want taking the place of a jam song -- how 'bout bringing back Lazy Lightning>Supplication, maybe? Even Sailor>Saint was better. I'm sitting there in disbelief while the people I went with are cheering wildly. I envied their blissful ignorance -- they didn't know this band was capable of so much more. A set that started with promise is being killed, and they're cheering like it's the greatest event of their lives. Well, it was the first show for some of them, so I guess it was at that time.
It'll take something extraordinary to bring this show back and GDTRFB isn't it, although it builds some intensity. The "jam" that follows is mislabeled; it's actually Drums, although Jerry plays with the drummers for a minute or so. With the Other One already played (badly) the first night and Morning Dew (very well) the second night, there's no saving this show now. At least Tom Thumb's Blues was a first for me, but it's fittingly followed by Black Peter, played with no special sauce.
It's still an enjoyable listen, but there's so much better out there, even from 86. I tried to write my review from my perspective being at the show, knowing it would be quite a while before I'd get another, and the disappointment I felt when I hoped I would get a few of the songs I love they didn't play the first two nights (Let It Grow, Bird Song, Music Never, Scarlet>FIRE, Estimated, Eyes, Terrapin, Playin', Uncle John's) and I got none of those, and no surprise jams to speak of. In retrospect, it wasn't like I was roped into going to see Huey Lewis and the News (though they'd have had to buy my ticket for that). But that's a pretty low bar. Actually a Huey Lewis show would have had more energy, more focus, and better play, and maybe even more jamming.
I reserve 1 star for bad recordings of bad shows, so this one gets 2 stars.
That said, a bad Grateful Dead show is still better than a good day at work.
They get off to a nice, jamming start with Stranger, with Bob apparently taking the lead at one point, Jerry finishing with a flourish, and Brent strong throughout. The band doesn't seem quite in sync, though, like they're not quite with it, so things start to go strangely.
Jerry tries for a different ending than normal, and doesn't quite nail it. Jerry builds up the intensity during Tennessee Jed, though it seems the rest of the band doesn't realize this is the peak and just plods along. C.C. Rider features a weird section where Jerry starts his solo before Bob's done with his, which actually sounds pretty cool, though I don't know if it was intentional or not. The lovely It Must Have Been the Roses comes off well. Bob's in a playful mood, introducing Tons of Steel with, "This song's in the key of F. I think." Really the first set is all right until they play Desolation Row, which means an entire three night run went by without a single first-set closing jam. No Let It Grow, no Bird Song, no Music. Deal and Cassidy went down the first night earlier in the set, so there's that.
On to the second set. Again, the playful mood and the spaciness set in at the beginning with an intro jam, mostly not captured on this recording, that turns Scarlet. All right, here we are! I'm up and dancing; Scarlet doesn't really build to a massive peak, but it's fun, and I'm anticipating a nice long jam and then a hot Fire. Not on this night. The outro from Scarlet barely gets going before Jerry forces it into A Touch of Gray. TOG is fast and ripping, with an actual solo, not the pro forma hit single they would play from 87 on. It's still no substitute for Fire.
They then follow up with Looks Like Rain -- horrible, horrible!! They follow one abomination (Touch out of Scarlet) with another (second set Looks Like Rain, which would later, sadly, become commonplace). It's an OK version, not a great one, though Jerry plays beautifully at times. LLR is a lovely ballad, but not something I want taking the place of a jam song -- how 'bout bringing back Lazy Lightning>Supplication, maybe? Even Sailor>Saint was better. I'm sitting there in disbelief while the people I went with are cheering wildly. I envied their blissful ignorance -- they didn't know this band was capable of so much more. A set that started with promise is being killed, and they're cheering like it's the greatest event of their lives. Well, it was the first show for some of them, so I guess it was at that time.
It'll take something extraordinary to bring this show back and GDTRFB isn't it, although it builds some intensity. The "jam" that follows is mislabeled; it's actually Drums, although Jerry plays with the drummers for a minute or so. With the Other One already played (badly) the first night and Morning Dew (very well) the second night, there's no saving this show now. At least Tom Thumb's Blues was a first for me, but it's fittingly followed by Black Peter, played with no special sauce.
It's still an enjoyable listen, but there's so much better out there, even from 86. I tried to write my review from my perspective being at the show, knowing it would be quite a while before I'd get another, and the disappointment I felt when I hoped I would get a few of the songs I love they didn't play the first two nights (Let It Grow, Bird Song, Music Never, Scarlet>FIRE, Estimated, Eyes, Terrapin, Playin', Uncle John's) and I got none of those, and no surprise jams to speak of. In retrospect, it wasn't like I was roped into going to see Huey Lewis and the News (though they'd have had to buy my ticket for that). But that's a pretty low bar. Actually a Huey Lewis show would have had more energy, more focus, and better play, and maybe even more jamming.
I reserve 1 star for bad recordings of bad shows, so this one gets 2 stars.
Reviewer:
jjg4762
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
October 24, 2015
Subject: before tons
Subject: before tons
Listen close before Tons of Steel brent throws A little revolutionary blues rif out
Reviewer:
cordedpoodle
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
October 2, 2012
Subject: Jerry inspired
Subject: Jerry inspired
Just listen to him on Touch of Grey. Uncharacteristically staccato truncated bluegrass lines, several dissonant notes thrown in. The band senses it and plays around him. Cool. Kudos to the tapers here, beautiful sound quality. Highs and middles clear as a bell, and Phil too.
Reviewer:
clovett
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
April 8, 2008
Subject: My 1st of many shows
Subject: My 1st of many shows
I went to my first show expecting to have a incredible experience, little did I know how incredible and how many shows would follow. Got there late with my brother and caught the end of the 1st set from behind the stage while adjusting to the shrooms and smoking some weed. Went down to the floor between sets and got comfortable. From the first notes of Scarlet I was up and dancing like I never had before. I still remember the feeling when Jerry sang "but I might as well try!" It felt like the most positive thing I'd ever heard and at difficult times in my life it still instructs me. The music sounded like music I'd only imagined, played with abandon and passion and they just kept playing. No short quitar breaks,THEY JUST KEPT PLAYING!!! I won't do a song for song breakdown only to say that Black Peter made me acutely aware of my own mortality as well as the importance of not dwelling on it "now let's go run and see". I had no idea when I left for that show that I would end up dancing for the next decade. Through all the ups and downs of my life there has always been a Hunter lyric the crystalizes the situation perfectly and a Jerry melody that touches that emotion. mlpaper I really enjoyed your review it's great to know that someone else experienced the same magic. 5 stars!
Reviewer:
mlpaper
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
August 4, 2006
Subject: Review of the Show
Subject: Review of the Show
Outstanding show. I read a previous review and just felt compelled to write mine. At 13 years old I saw my first Dead Show in 1981. I was a young kid who thought he was cool and went to Dead Shows. Don't get me wrong, I loved the music, but was not a Dead Head. I saw a half dozen or more shows between 1981 and this show in 1986. This was the show where as I say "I got it". It finally clicked in my head what a Dead Show was all about. Maybe you had to be there, but it opened with a fantastic "Feel Like a Stranger". When Bobby howled those amazing words, "Let's Get on with the show", the lights went on the crowd, 18,000 dead heads screamed, rasied their arms, and just went nuts. Each song had great vibes to it, there was a great mix of ups and downs as far as the songs went. They seemed to just know when to get the crowd up and when to bring them back down. Bobby's voice and passion was dead on that night. They had their typical jams, but what was nice, is they played music that night, they played songs, and they played with the audience. The opening of the 2nd set, as I like to cal to this day "Scarlet Touch of Rain" was amazing. Jerry did his usual great singing in Scarlet Begonias, and had the crowd jumping, then they broke into Touch of Grey, which at the time was still relatively new to. When Bobby hit that switch over from "I will survive" to "We will survive", again the lights went on the crowd, and we all knew what was meant. I myself as not even aware that they song had that switch over, so it felt like something extra special to me. Then to watch Bobby sing "Looks Like Rain" with the place dark except for a single white light shining down on him, was perfect. Throwin' Stones was and still is a great song wit hso much meaning. A song I don't think the Dead played enough. Then Jerry sang a gorgeous Brokedown Palace to bring the crowd back down to earth before sending us out to enjoy the memories. At this time I was in college, away from home for the first time, and songs like "Feel Like a Stranger, Touch of Grey, and Brokedown Palace" hit me in the chest and it felt like the songs were meant for me that night. That show was my favorite and to this day is the one show that stands out in my mind and it is the one show I still brag to others about. Download the show, put yourself inside the arena, and listen to the music and words. Enjoy it, there is no reason not to.
Reviewer:
Hamal
-
favoritefavorite -
July 5, 2006
Subject: feh
Subject: feh
don't waste your time with the dl. i didn't find it a particularly inspiring show at the time, nor now. the space that was before scarlet sounds cut. the sound quality is good here, hence the two stars and not just one.
Reviewer:
Gomez1010
-
favoritefavoritefavorite -
January 20, 2006 (edited)
Subject: Not very jammy...
Subject: Not very jammy...
but playful show -15/20 ft in front of Jer - I was blown away to hear the tuneup/noise jam into the 2nd set which went on for longer than ususal and the "hurry, hurry" whisper - shazam! that brought back a memory - I remember thinking this Scarlet- Touch was going to bring a Fire Fire Fire but instead it fizzled to Rain (which I might add was pretty good with the help of some boomers) but not on par with even the worst Fire in my book....that hollow vocal sound you're hearing is actually the true Rectum err Spectrum sound that this particular hockey/basketball building was famous for....I thought Phil BELTING out Tom Thumb's was pretty classic (but ragged) and that was the first time i'd ever heard it played - not a particularly good version but you can hear the effort and the crowd got a kick out of it..... Phil changing the words - my best friend my drummer won't even tell me what it was that I dropped...Mother's Milk.... and Cuernavaca references- are still as funny as they were at the show.
Reviewer:
Mt700
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
October 20, 2005
Subject: Decent sound
Subject: Decent sound
Actually I think this show sounds pretty good. I give it a 4
The show is pretty hot.
The show is pretty hot.
Reviewer:
sid weiss
-
favoritefavoritefavorite -
September 18, 2004
Subject: great instarmentally for sound quality..vocal sound is hollow sounding
Subject: great instarmentally for sound quality..vocal sound is hollow sounding
Reviewer:
william-o
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 16, 2004
Subject: Finally
Subject: Finally
This is the first tape I ever had when I started listening to the Dead('87 or so). It was subsequently stolen.
I am now hearing it for the first time in over ten years and am Grateful to say the least.
While there is no reason to compare '86 to the fabulous 70's, I have alwyas liked this show for the out of the ordinary setlist that had become commonplace.
The Scarlet/Touch, and the Tom Thumb are great.
The Brokedown isn't too bad either. It is only a five star performace in my mind.
Thanks to those who provide these kind tunes. The rest of us are Grateful.
I am now hearing it for the first time in over ten years and am Grateful to say the least.
While there is no reason to compare '86 to the fabulous 70's, I have alwyas liked this show for the out of the ordinary setlist that had become commonplace.
The Scarlet/Touch, and the Tom Thumb are great.
The Brokedown isn't too bad either. It is only a five star performace in my mind.
Thanks to those who provide these kind tunes. The rest of us are Grateful.
There are 10 reviews for this item. .
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